I’ve been listening to Bad Religion since 1994, and I’ve heard this song 100 million times. Back then, I thought the lyrics were cynical, but the song rocked. Today, I realize it describes nearly everyone I’ve met who was born after 1985 (or thereabouts). Call me cynical, but kids these days are fucking clueless. Please, if you’ve got kids, for the love of god, teach the fuckers to be more than a waste of clean air.
I can’t believe it,
The way you look sometimes,
Like a trampled flag on a city street,
Oh yeah,
And I don’t want it,
The things you’re offering me,
Symbolized bar code quick id,
Oh yeah,
I’m a 21st century digital boy,
I don’t know how to live
But I’ve got a lot of toys,
My daddy is lazy middle class intellectual,
My mommy’s on valium,
so ineffectual,
Ain’t life a mystery?
I can’t explain it,
The things they’re saying to me,
Going yayayayayayaya,
Oh yeah,
I’m a 21st century digital boy,
I don’t know how to read
But I’ve got a lot of toys,
My daddy is lazy middle class intellectual,
My mommy’s on valium,
so ineffectual,
Ain’t life a mystery?
I tried to tell you about no control,
But now I really don’t know,
And then you told me how bad you had to suffer,
Is that really all you have to offer?
I’m a 21st century digital boy,
I don’t know how to live
But I’ve got a lot of toys,
My daddy is lazy middle class intellectual,
My mommy’s on valium,
so ineffectual,
Ain’t life a mystery?
To which I say — Please, all ye who are thinking about having kids, DON’T have them if you are (a) a lazy middle class intellectual; (b) a person on valium so ineffectual; (c) both; or (d) a person with any trait equally prone to making you worthless at being a proper parent.
IMHO, it’s the parents, not the kids, who are to blame. Or maybe global warming is cooking kids’ brains in utero. Or maybe we are just becoming old, grumpy and out of touch.
[shrug]
P.S. Hi, Snookums…from 3082 miles away.
Funny thing is, I was originally going to title the post “some people’s kids.” Not sure why I changed my mind.
I have come to the conclusion that quality of parenting doesn’t always make a huge difference in how the kids turnout. I’ve met some f—ed up kids whose parents were caring and down-to-earth. Then I’ve met kids who were extremely bright and had personalities that made them extremely successful despite parents who were meth-head burnouts. Also, working in the ER makes me appreciate parents who are lazy middle-class intellectuals because at least those kids usually aren’t beaten or starved. However, I agree with the point about people who don’t know how to read (or think) and are just looking to get some more toys. I can’t stand talking to those guys whose life is basically one big inventory.
“I just bought a new motorcycle, we have a 42″ flat screen, I installed a $4000 stereo system in my escalade, ect.